BAY COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY AND LAIDLAW PRESERVE

Laidlaw Preserve, 272 acres in Washington County, is owned by the Florida Audubon Society and has been managed by Bay County Audubon Society (BCAS) since 2008. BCAS manages Laidlaw with three signature species in mind: Florida gopher tortoise, Florida native azalea, and Swainson's Warbler. Chapter members Ed Keppner and Neil Lamb, who also acts as preserve manager, wrote and maintained an Adaptive Management Plan as part of the ongoing work at the preserve. Management strategies include clearing old human-made trails and game trails while, at the same time, maintaining more of the edge habitat that supports the species richness of the property.

This has allowed gopher tortoise populations to flourish, providing the tortoises "highways" to food sources. Fire ants, once a serious detriment to success of ground nesters on site, are now kept under control. Efforts are made to eradicate as many invasive, non-native plants as possible.

MANATEE COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY AND FELTS PRESERVE

Manatee County Audubon Society’s (MCAS) Felts Preserve in Palmetto, Florida contains a variety of bird habitats including mesic hammock, ponds, and grasslands. The diversity of habitats and bird species supports birding and other passive recreation and educational experiences. The property was acquired in 2002 from the estate of Otis and Anita Felts. MCAS partnered with the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast to grant Felts Preserve a conservation easement in 2020.

MCAS engages the community by using Felts Audubon Preserve for events such as "Hiking with a Librarian," guided walks, open houses, educational field trips, and conservation days where the community learns about the importance of preserve management.

AUDUBON OF MARTIN COUNTY AND POSSUM LONG NATURE CENTER

Martin County’s Possum Long Nature Center, gifted in 1973 and named in honor of the donor’s father, Clifton “Possum” Long, protects 4.7 acres in Stuart, Florida. Notable projects have included retrofitting a stormwater pond to create and sustain wetlands that provide habitat for herons, Ospreys, ducks, turtles, otters, and other wildlife; native plant installations and invasive removals; and in 2024, planting more than 300 trees and other plants to restore the onsite pine flatwood ecosystem.

Across the network, Audubon chapters are leading the way with conservation projects in their communities. We thank them for their tireless efforts for birds and the places they need!

This article originally appeared in the 2024 Summer edition of the Naturalist. Click here to read the full magazine.